Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Zero or Kingdom Hearts or any of their franchise. I only own my OCs and nothing else.
Fate/Catalyst
Prologue III: Summoning of Servants and the Final Master
Week 1, Day 4
3rd POV
Germany, Einzbern Castle
Summoned by the head of the Einzbern Family, Jubstacheit von Einzbern, Emiya Kiritsugu and Irisviel had hurried over to the old castle of the Einzberns, covered in ice from the exterior. In the ceremonial chamber within the great stronghold, the head stood tall and cold in front of the two.
"The holy relic we've searched for Cornwall these past years finally arrived this morning," the two-century year old man informed them in a cold, astute manner, "If you use this as a catalyst, you will summon the strongest of the sword-wielding Heroic Spirits. Consider this as the Einzbern family's greatest aid to you."
Jubstacheit eyes gazed upon Kiritsugu with an astute light, which lacked any senility and always brought upon a feeling of pressure and bias when Kiritsugu meets his gaze.
"I am deeply grateful, old man Acht," Kiritsugu replied with an expressionless face.
Emiya Kiritsugu was a freelance assassin hired by the Einzberns as their representative for the Holy Grail War. He was well-known among the magi as the Magus Killer. This was the first time they had ever let in an outsider into their family, as this was not something the Einzberns would ever do. However, due to Kiritsugu's extraordinary skills, they had welcomed him in. They expect him to bring back the Holy Grail and fufill the family's thousand-year old wish of reviving the Third Magic.
Acht's gaze now fell upon Irisviel, who was respectfully bowing down to the elder Einzbern.
"Irisviel, what is the status of vessel?"
"There are no problems. It will be able to function in Fuyuki," Irisviel answered without missing a beat.
Irisviel von Einzbern was a Homunculus created by the Einzbern family. She has been created to act as a vessel for the Holy Grail. As a result, she is to go with Kiritsugu to the battlegrounds of the Holy Grail War. Oh, and she is also his wife for those who do not know.
The old man's eyes were now shining with insane strength as he gave them his last order, "Leave no survivors. Kill the six other Servants and win the Grail, the key to the revival of the Third Magic!"
"Understood!"
Both had simultaneously replied in the face of the old man's fierce determination. But in his heart, Kiritsugu would care less about the old man's desire of achieving victory and the Third Magic.
He had his own wish that he wants to fulfill with the Grail.
=O=
On the cold floor of an empty room in the Matou household, Kariya laid still. A tray of food next to him remained untouched as he simply laid there, suffering the aftermath of his training and the Crest Worms inside him. But he did not show it at all.
After a whole year of intense training and torture from the Crest Worms, he had become a magus capable of participating in the Holy Grail War as a Master. The Command Seals have appeared on his right hand, indicating that the Grail had chosen him.
Kariya then heard the sound of footsteps across the marble floor, belonging to that of a blood-sucking bastard.
"It seems you've barely made it," mused the old vampire, "You must be making progress as a magus if the Grail chose you."
Kariya had a stern look on face as he sat upright from the floor. To Kariya, this monster was not someone he would ever be glad to see.
"But you look awful," Zouken said with fake concern. Kariya avoided his father's, or ancestor's, gaze, but he snapped back to attention when-
"I wonder, does your left leg still work?"
Zouken jabbed his cane into Kariya's left leg. Kariya cried out in pain as he struggled to get up but collapsed once again. The man glared at the old vampire with rage; with several of the nasty lesions on his face pulsating as the Crest Worms ran through them.
"Hahahaha," Zouken laughed to himself before chiding Kariya, "Don't get angry, or the worms inside you will get worked up. You don't want to be devoured from the inside out, do you? Well, regardless, I'd give you a month at best to live."
"That's plenty."
"What?"
"I said that's plenty."
Zouken eerily laughed. He couldn't believe that Kariya was actually intent on winning this war. In all honesty, Zouken was already sure that Kariya would fail to win the war, doubting that he even had a chance to win in the first place. But even if he does win the Grail, the Matou ancestor will still benefit by having his wish of immortality granted.
"Kariya, for surviving a year, I've prepared the artifact to summon the perfect Servant for you," Zouken told the suffering man, "Consider it a gift from your father. Don't let it go to waste."
"Just wait, Sakura-chan. As soon as I win the Grail, I'll bring you back to Aoi-san and Rin-chan. We'll all be able to play in the park again, like we used to."
=O=
Week 1, Day 5
"Good morning, Waver."
"Morning, Waver-chan!"
"Good morning Grandma…Grandpa," Waver said as he entered the dining room.
Waver Velvet was a student of the Clock Tower. Always shunned by his peers, he felt the need to show them how skilled he actually is. And he found that opportunity when he somehow got his hands on Lord El-Melloi's artifact. His teacher was supposedly going to participate in a competition off in the East. Deciding to use this competition to show his true worth, Waver flew off to Japan with the artifact to take part in the Holy Grail War.
At the moment, he was staying at the MacKenzies' house, acting as their grandson.
"Fuyuki's getting bad these days," Glen Mackenzie commented on the news.
"It appears so," Martha MacKenzie said with a little sadness.
"Anyways, Martha, the chickens were very noisy today when I woke up at dawn."
"There were three chickens in the yard," Martha replied, before having a confused look on her face, "I wonder how they got there?"
Waver quickly made up the excuse that a friend of his was lending them the chickens to take care of until he's back from his trip. They were going to be returned this evening.
"Oh, I see."
"Waver-chan, would you like some coffee?" Martha asked the boy.
"Sure," he replied in a little drowsy voice, raising his right hand up a bit.
"Waver-chan, what happened to your hand?" Martha suddenly asked in a worried tone.
"Crap!" Waver panicked as he tried to hide the Command Seals that were on his left hand. They had appeared on his hand when he woke up this morning at dawn.
"That mark wasn't on your hand yesterday."
"Mark?" Glen suddenly spoke up as he looked at Waver. Martha tried to take a look at the young boy's hand, but he pulled it away as let out an annoyed groan.
"I wish you hadn't noticed that."
"Waver-chan, what's wrong?"
Waver shook his head as he tried to assure them that nothing was wrong. He poured a cup of coffee and mixed some milk into it. He pushed it towards his grandparents. "Have some coffee. I put lots of milk in it. You like coffee, right?"
As the elderly couple stared at the coffee cup, something seemed to wash over them as they suddenly went slightly limp. Glen's head bobbed down as he was no longer conscious. Martha dropped down to the floor in an unconscious state.
Waver let out a sigh as he muttered, "Do I have to keep acting as their grandson who came home from overseas?"
A loud crowing was heard in the yard out in the back. Waver turned his head towards the noise and let out an annoyed puff. Earlier today, he went out to a chicken farm nearby to retrieve some hens to use as sacrificed. He came out dirty with his hands bloodied from the chickens' pecking.
"Well, it doesn't matter. I'll start the summoning ritual tonight," Waver relented with a sigh.
=O=
Kinto, having finished school today, was jogging back to his temporary home in the afternoon sun. He had learned a bit from the elementary school, but he felt his most important experience as making friends.
He got along quite well with most of the students, as he kept up an act of being courteous, respectful, and generous. But the only friends who saw his real personality were Rin and Kotone. He became something like best friends with them.
"Yeah, perhaps brother was right about sending me to school," Kinto mused to himself, "He always said it was a good thing to forge bonds with others."
He took a right at a corner as he started up a hilly street.
"Yeah…the only things missing from satisfaction are the Heartless. God, I really want to get into a fight now," muttered Kinto with irritation.
It's not like he's crazy about fights or anything, but…there's just something about fighting that can generate some sort of excitement inside you that you can't find in anything else. The adrenaline rushing through your veins as you try to defend against and opponent's assault before unleashing one of your own is exhilarating.
The only times he fought before were against street thugs that he sometimes ran into in the bad parts of the city and in brief spars with his brother, though he couldn't really feel such a significant sensation from either. Heiwa always held back against Kinto, as he couldn't go all out against his little brother at the level of power he was at.
Besides, to him thugs always fought dirty, with crowbars, pipes, or in groups. And he had to run away if someone had a gun.
Kinto's residence loomed overhead as he got closer to it. He found it weird to return 'home.' His older brother never told him about their home, family, or other things. Well, it would be hard to find something like that in the empty vacuum of space.
"Tadaima (I'm back)," Kinto said as he entered through the front door. There was nobody there to say "Okaeri" or "Welcome home". It was a little saddening, as Kinto thought it would be nice to have a family who would welcome you when you return home. He had his older brother, but…it just doesn't feel the same with him as it would with parent…if he knew what it's like to have a parent.
The blonde-haired boy fell back on his bed as he stared up at the ceiling. The few minutes that passed as Kinto laid there felt like hours. He took a glance at his backpack.
"…Well, best get started on my homework. Maybe, I'll ask brother if we can go to the park tomorrow."
=O=
The sky darkened in the brink of night, only the moon illuminating the outskirts of Fuyuki. Upon a house outside of city limits, Wielder quietly gazed at the moon from the rooftop of the house. The night was just a veil for the events to come. That was what it felt like for the new Servant.
Over the last few days he still has not found any information about this world's true nature. The public libraries turned up with no information that he does not know of, and the internet does not seem to help either. He pretty much used up all the typical resources for research. The only things he could probably rely on now were the words of people and areas segregated from public eye.
He already located a few locations where there were significant concentrations of prana. There was the Tohsaka mansion and Matou mansion in the southern end of Miyama, and there had been a place out in the outskirts of Fuyuki that he hadn't searched yet. He would investigate one or two of these locations tomorrow.
The Heartless were still a problem, but he could handle the situation well without worries unless they seem directly in face of public eye. That can be dealt with if the event ever occurs.
His primary concern now was the Servants. Although he received the basic information about what the Holy Grail War was and what he had to do, he didn't know the battle strengths, abilities and weaknesses of the seven other Servant classes: Saber, Lancer, Archer, Rider, Caster, Assassin, and Berserker. He could judge a little based on the name of their classes, but this was not too much information to go on.
As a Wielder, the special class he was given, he specializes in a variety of skills, like close-range combat, magic, and weapons. The Noble Phantasms and skills he possesses were higher than normal in trade for slightly lower stats. Even so, the stats he possessed were quite high regardless. The primary class skill he possessed was All-Around Specialist: B. It allowed for usage of class abilities from the other Servant classes, such as Riding, Presence Concealment, and Item Construction. He felt that this skill gave him an edge above the other Servants, but thoughts like that would often lead to one's downfall.
Wielder then felt something glowing in his pocket. Taking it out, he looked at the odd, intricate looking rod that was now flashing rapidly. It was an item he developed that detected high frequencies of prana in the air over a distance. He tapped a button on top of the rod, and its central compartment opened up to show a miniature holographic map of Fuyuki. At least three dots on the map were pulsating.
"It appears the war begins now."
The surges in prana were clear indications of Servant summoning. Wielder couldn't tell what was going on at each location, but he could tell that new enemies have emerged into this world.
However, the Servant was unaware of a few things. How many Servants now exist in this world? Six, excluding him. Those that did not appear on the monitor were one summoned in Germany, one summoned in London, and one that was already summoned a week or two ago. Caster has not yet been summoned, and the identities of who summoned what Servant was anonymous.
But there was one thing he wasn't expecting.
=O=
Silver and iron to the origin, Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone, The ancestor is my great master Schweinorg.
Kiritsugu stood prepared with Irisviel in the ceremonial hall of the Einzberns' castle. In front of them was an altar with a completed summoning circle scribed on the floor in front of it. The holy sheath of King Arthur's sword lay upon the altar as the catalyst for summoning the titled strongest Heroic Spirit of the Saber class.
"Is it OK to use such a simple ritual?" Irisviel asked curiously, surprised by the how simple the preparations for the summoning of the Servant appeared.
Kiritsugu traced the summoning circle that had been drawn in mercury instead of blood, making sure that there were no flaws in the circle's design.
"Summoning a Servant doesn't need such an extravagant ceremony," Kiritsugu explained to his wife, "The Master simply acts as the link for the Heroic Spirit to this world, and then provide the summoned Servant with the necessary prana to materialize itself in this world. The Grail is the object that actually performs the summoning of a Servant."
The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate.
Tohsaka Tokiomi stood in the basement of the Tohsaka household with Kotomine Risei and Kirei. The summoning circle was drawn out in front of them as the shedded skin of the world's first snake, which undoubtedly a mystery as to how they found it, was placed on an altar across the circle.
Tokiomi raised his hand as he began to chant the first lines to the ritual of summoning the Servant. The catalyst was brought here for the purpose of increasing the chances of getting the desired Heroic Spirit Tokiomi aimed for. The tale of the first snake's shed skin was associated with one of the oldest epics written in history.
If the ritual is done right, along with some luck, Tokiomi would summon the oldest Heroic Spirit ever known to humanity!
"Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut. Repeat every five times. Simply shatter once filled."
Waver iterated these lines as he drew the summoning circle with the blood of the chicken's he stole from the barn earlier this morning. He made sure nothing was wrong with the setup of the circle as he placed the catalyst on top of a stump nearby.
Inside the box was piece of cloth from a cape. But not from just any cape; it came from the magnificent cape worn by the renowned King of Conquerors. And with these components, Waver was sure that he would summon the Servant.
With him, the young teenager will fight in the Grail War and aim to win it. This would definitely give him the respect he deserved!
In the household of the Matou, Kariya gazed upon the form of his ancestor. They were in the worm storage of the house, the place where Sakura was forced to endure her "lessons". The storage was emptied out for the ritual, and the summoning circle has been drawn on the floor with the catalyst lying across the circle.
"Have you memorized the lines for the ritual?"
Kariya nodded in response.
"Good. Now, midway through the incantation, be sure add two more lines."
"What do you mean?"
Zouken gave Kariya a dark smile as he explained to him, "Kariya, you should know that as a magus you are still below par compared to the other Masters. It will affect the basic parameters of the Servant. Therefore, the Servant's class must make up for the gap."
Zouken then finished with the command, "Kariya, summon the Servant with Madness Enhancement, Berserker."
Kariya nodded his head in reply. If he was going to win this competition, the Servant he summons should be as strong as possible. He then memorized the lines Zouken gave him. "Yet, thou serves with thine eyes clouded in chaos. Thou, bound in the cage of madness. I am he who commands those chains."
He must win this war at all costs. Or Sakura will suffer under Zouken for the rest of her life.
I hereby propose.
Kinto's eyes were wide open as he stared at the ceiling. It had been a while since his brother told him to go to sleep, but for some reason he couldn't shut down his mind. Thus, he had stayed awake for quite a while now.
"Damn it, I should get some shut-eye soon, or I'll look horrible when I go to school tomorrow," Kinto thought with a shiver, "I really don't want Rin and Kotone seeing me like that."
Suddenly, Kinto saw something appearing in air. Now fully awake, he jumped out of bed and gaped in awe and fear at what was happening. Blood-red symbols appeared in the air, which Kinto for some reason could understand.
"What the heck?!"
Yourself is under me; my fate is in your sword.
In accordance with the summons of the Holy Grail, if you abide by my will and reason, then answer.
Kinto grew nervous as more words began to appear in the air around him as a mechanical voice echoed in his mind. The hue of the room began to turn crimson. The boy clutched his head with both hands as the mechanical voice spoke more words.
Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world. I am the one who disposes all the evil of the world.
You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance!
The words in the air let out a blinding flash as Kinto felt something carve itself on the back of his hand.
=O=
Heiwa leapt off of the roof earlier when he saw the flash of red light come from his brother's bedroom. He had to make sure his little brother was all right, for he would not tolerate any harm coming to his brother.
He already broke through the front door and ran up the stairs in a fury. Reaching the door to Kinto's room he pulled open the door.
"Kinto, what in the world is happening?! Are you hurt?" Heiwa spoke out urgently.
"Brother…"
Kinto was sitting on the edge of his bed as he gazed upon the back of his right hand.
"What's wrong, little brother?" Heiwa asked as he walked over to his brother's side, but when he gazed upon the marks on the back of Kinto's right hand, his heart felt like it stopped cold as the elder brother's gaze hardened in a mixture of shock and solemnity.
"What's…this?" Kinto held up his hand, "W-What happened to my hand?"
The Command Mantra was engraved upon his right hand. It took on the appearance of crossing key-like blades with a heart behind them.
"Kinto…we need to talk."
[Chapter End]
Skadoosh! I feel like this story's going turn out better than Visions, Shattered and Restored; but hey, that's my opinion on this story's progress. Anyways, it seems that my OC, Kinto, is now a participant in the Holy Grail War. But my OCs are not the only change. I changed the parameters of some of the Servants. And sorry to disappoint, but the Servants in the story are the same as the ones in canon.
As for the plot, there might be either some deviations from the canon or a change from the original storyline. Who knows? Anyway, I don't think I'll get a writer's block on this story…hopefully. Anyways, look forward to the next chapter, people! Later!
